Smailholm Tower

Historic Buildings & Homes

Sited high on a rocky outcrop, Smailholm is a small rectangular tower set within a stone barmkin wall.

This 65 ft towerhouse was built by a well-known Scottish Borders family in the first half of the 15th century, and today you can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding countryside from Smailholm Tower’s battlements.

Inside the tower is a model of this Pringle residence and a charming collection of costume figures and tapestries relating to Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borders. It was the sight of Smailholm that fired Walter Scott's imagination when, as a young boy, he was brought up by his grandparents at the nearby farm of Sandyknowe.

This attraction is not recommended for visitors with physical disabilities. Access is uphill, across rough ground.